Effect of ethanol concentration on CaCO₃ phase formation with carbonation method Available to Purchase

CaCO₃ powder in the form of PCC is needed in various industrial fields. The formation of the CaCO₃ phase is influenced by the reaction medium. Ethanol is used as a reaction medium because it has a lower surface tension coefficient than water. The surface tension coefficient is related to the energy of crystal formation. In this study, Ca(OH)₂ solution was mixed with ethanol with a volume ratio of 30% and 50% with a stirring rate of 200 rpm at room temperature. The carbonation method is carried out with a CO₂ gas flow rate of 2.35 lt/min. The results of observations with XRD and SEM showed the formation of calcite, vaterite and aragonite phases. The addition of 30% ethanol into the reaction medium for 5 hours and immersion for 3 days increased the vaterite phase by 53.57% and the aragonite phase by 4%. Meanwhile, the addition of 50% ethanol decreased the vaterite phase by 69.77% and increased the aragonite phase by 375%.